Commenting on the latest performance figures from NHS England, John Appleby, Director of Research and Chief Economist at the Nuffield Trust said:

“These figures show that the NHS continues to be systematically unable to meet its main targets, with over 4 million patients likely to be on the waiting list for planned care – now at its longest since the end of 2007. For the second year in a row, even the summer respite in A&E has not led to hospitals being able to meet their four hour target, with just 90.3% of people being treated in four hours compared to the expected 95%.The troublingly high rate of patients being held up leaving hospital is showing little sign of coming back under control, with delayed days at their highest ever level for the month of June.

“This puts the NHS on the back foot as we approach winter, with problems both at the ‘front door’ of A&E departments and at the ‘back door’, as hospitals struggle to send people home or onto further care.”